Keith Olbermann Suspended: Leaves MSNBC’s Show In Lurch

November 8, 2010 (Sampurn Wire): Keith Olbermann of MSNBC has been suspended indefinitely and without pay after the authorities found out that the anchor of ‘Countdown with Keith Olbermann’ donated $2,400 to three candidates to fight off at the mid-term election. The openly liberal talk-show host made the donation to three Democratic candidates.

Not only did the representatives from Arizona Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Gifford received money from Olbermann but the host also handpicked the Democratic representatives to appear on the show. It was not only Grijalva and Gifford who received the favor, but also Jack Conway, the Senator from Kentucky who received the money as well as an appearance on Olbermann’s show.

But with this “indefinite” suspension declared by Phil Griffin, the president of MSNBC, the show that Olbermann hosted has been left in a lurch. The show garnered a viewership of 1.1 million in October and has been going strong since the start of the program in 2003. Some names have been tossed around, like Christopher Haynes, the editor of Nation and Thomas Roberts, the anchor of daytime show, but no confirmation has been given by the channel about who will be stepping into Olbermann’s shoes.

Though the Fedral Election Commission does not bar anyone from making an individual donation in an election campaign but it should not exceed $2,400 and the consent of the employer should be taken, however, Olbermann violated both the regulations.